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Tokyo International Film Festival 2000
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Storyline :
A
disillusioned filmmaker has an encounter with a young
girl who has a ritual of repeating "Tomorrow is my
birthday" everyday. He tries to
communicate with her through his video camera
Shiki-Jitsu (式日 lit. "Ritual Day" or
"Ceremonial Day"?) is a (2000) live-action art-house
film directed by Hideaki Anno. This film is Hideaki
Anno''s second live action feature.
The screenplay is an adaption by Hideaki
Anno and Ayako Fujitani of Fujitani''s novella Touhimu,
which was inspired by an emotionally difficult time
spent in Los Angeles during her work in her father''s
1998 film, The Patriot.[citation needed] Michael Ordona
of the Los Angeles Times said the film had "dark themes
of mental illness and suicidal ideation".
The film tells the story of a director,
played by independent filmmaker Shunji Iwai, who meets
an odd young woman, played by Ayako Fujitani, who wrote
the novella Tohimu the film is based upon. The story
takes place over a period of 33 days. The plot involves
these two characters trying to work their way out of a
collective emotional funk.
Shiki-Jitsu won an award for Best Artistic Contribution
at the 13th International Film Festival in Tokyo.
User Reviews :
Wow.
26 October 2006 | by tammy_trauma (Canada)
I must say, I was really not expecting
this film... I gave this film a view without any idea of
the plot or basic info to back it up and I finished the
film with an uncomfortable feeling. From a personal
perspective I can assure you this isn''t simply the story
of a "crazy" girl and a washed out filmmaker...this is
the story of a profoundly sorrowed girl and exploring
how she deals with this sorrow in her day to day life.
The reason she may not have jumped that ledge on the
roof may very well be due to those lies she kept telling
herself and her whole "ritual", she only needed someone
to appreciate her and stay with her and teach her life
isn''t as painful as she was brought up thinking it was.
I can''t believe how well fujitani played
this role...As someone else mentioned, why hasn''t she
done more film? She was even TOO convincing in her
role...I could have filled a litre of water with my
tears.
The uber-emotional plot and performances
aside, the visuals were equally wonderful, especially
her "secret" basement filled with red umbrellas, water,
and her bathtub. I haven''t seen such unique and
beautiful set designs for a while.